This invention relates to fractionation of air by selective adsorption and more particularly to a lightweight, low pressure, portable oxygen concentrator that furnishes exact oxygen concentrations through a venturi system at high flow rates.
Oxygen concentrators have been used extensively for supplying oxygen-enriched gas to respiratory patients, particularly those requiring relatively high oxygen concentrations in a breathable gaseous mixture over extended periods of time. Because oxygen concentrators deliver a breathable gas of between 80-95% oxygen from atmospheric air, thereby eliminating the requirement of bottled gas, oxygen cylinders, and the like, they have found substantial appeal especially in the home care field.
As reliable as oxygen concentrators have become, their power requirements are relatively high. Because of the constantly increasing costs of electricity, where such concentrators are required to operate over extended periods of time, costs of operation can be substantial even to the point of otherwise offsetting the convenience of such devices. Further, prior art devices are bulky to handle especially if the patient is amubulatory and the device must be supplied with alternative electrical power for energizing thereof.
Thus, a need exists for a portable oxygen concentrator which is lightweight, operates at a low pressure, and can provide high flow rates through a venturi system.